THE EARLY SETTLERS' REUNION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 22 October 1913, Page 8

THE EARLY SETTLERS' REUNION.

Sir,—l am sorry I was not ablo to 3 attend the early settlers' reunion held s iu Wellington recently. There are very 11 few of tho old Bottlers left. I mean y those who canio out in tho first five 3 ships in 1840—the Oriental, the Aurora, tho Duke of Roxburgh, tho Bolt-on, and the London. I came out in the Duke of Roxburgh, and know of two or three others—Mr: AY. 0. Williams and Mrs. Hawk, of Grey town, also Mr. wS. Smith, of Lowoir Hutt. We landed at the bleak sandy beach of Petone, with no. one to welcome us but the Maoris, tho friendly Ngatiawas. Tho day wo lands cd tho Wairarapa. Natives had been t down to the pa at tho Waivretu and s ( killed tho chief, Rakouri, and had i) taken his head. _Of course the Hutt , r Natives were up in arms about it. AVo 0 had to carry arms, too, for fear the d Wairarapa Natives might come and make war against us: I and others e kept watch with muskets for several n nights under tho command of Major h Hornbrook. I was in Wellington when thero was not one wooden houso there, nothing but Maori whares made of toitoi, raupo, etc. Tho progress sinco ma do all over tho colony is due in tho , first instance to our oid settlors. I '' am in my 93rd year now. I hope there will be a better and larger gathering next reunion. Of those who live in tho country all have not the means whereby to defray expenses.—l am, etc., r, ' THOMAS SMITH. 1 Fcatherston, October 20. ii ■ . ft A novelty about tlio holiday training camp of tho Church Nnrsimr and A'»bnlo anee Brigade at Beach ITouso Park, d Worthing, England, which -is attended by h nearly ISO women and girl*, is tho fact is that tho cooking is bdng (lone by cloctiicg ity. The dining and recreation i«iits are lit bj electricity, ,